mackie 1501 v. 1801

(0) ·

May 9, 2006 04:18 PM

electronics

here's my comparison, a single 1801 verses two 1501's...

1501 pro's

you can pick it up.

probably fits in your car.

more 'punch', more accurate low end.

use a pair as a base for mid-range speakers.

looks pretty good.

con's

*requires* two, in order to 'compete' with a single 1801.

takes up even more room than a single 1801.

two trips, if carrying by hand.

takes more power at the same SPL.

1801 pro's

bass you can feel, really feel.

single item to set up.

cheaper than two 1501's

fits in my VW bus all right , well, in *one* spot.

you can lift this if you reach inside, the ledge in the back rear port.

looks super mean.

con's

~nearly~ impossible to lift alone.

probably won't fit in your car.

little less field dispersion than two 1501's spread out.

less modular (use a single 1501 for small gigs) ?

a single 1501 doesn't compare to a single 1801. probably fine for small gigs, but side by side doesn't have the same low-end. still might compliment your system.

after hearing the 1801, originally i didn't think two 1501 could still add up -- but after an hour of comparing the two, i decided the dual 1501 setup was quite formidable.

people frequently comment that the 1501's have more 'punch'. this is because the 15" woofers are lighter, thus more nimble (Force=M*A), and thus able to recreate low frequencies with higher accuracy. you just need more of them to move the same volume of air as the 18's. the 18" typically has more presence in the super low range, since it pushes more air and resonates at a lower frequency.

this is why people recommend musicians get the 15 and dj's get the 18.

i couldn't decide, so got both. yikes!

i'll take the 1801 to burningman and other *outdoor* gigs, and save the 1501's for home / indoor gigs. running a single 1801 lowers the demand on my personal 1Kw whisper-watt generator (used a meter to check that). i can still haul a single 1501 for small shows. plenty of power if i use all three.

curiously enough, despite what some folks say you can mix your 1501 and 1801's together if you line up the wavefronts from each speaker. you can also cover a wide area outdoors, depending how you angle your setup.